How Millennials Are Shaping the Digital Workplace

The future of work is approaching – it’s a landscape that is remarkably fluid, requiring businesses to adapt to new technologies and trends in real time. Among today’s workforce, there is a call to embrace solutions that give individuals the power to shape their productivity in a way that best matches their work style. And in many cases, millennials are driving the change. This rising cohort believes that work is no longer a place one goes, but something one does. The traditional workplace structure that has defined the last century is increasingly irrelevant to this generation, as they find new opportunities to “work smarter, not harder” through technology.

Here's what you need to know about millennials, and how their unique preferences are inspiring wider workplace transformation:

Collaboration & Connectivity

When it comes to communication, millennials are the first “omni-channel” generation. Growing up in the infancy age of cellphones, instant messenger, and video chat, they’re comfortable with a wide range of tools, often jumping from one to the other seamlessly. This has significantly impacted how they operate in a business setting, and how workplace collaboration platforms are being built. Rather than being limited to a single channel, millennials thrive when they can opt for the one that best suits their needs in the moment – fostering a higher emphasis on collaborative flexibility.

In the same vein, this type of flexibility is changing business’ approach to connectivity. In fact, recent research shows that 77 percent of millennials say that flexible working hours would make the workplace more productive. Through the rise of mobile technology, they no longer see the office as the only place where work can be done. They’re more connected than ever, and with the right infrastructure they can be just as plugged in whether at home or in the office.

Looking Ahead: The Millennial Impact on the Future of Work

Millennials represent the largest generation in the United States labor force, and with this, they are, and will continue to have, a significant impact on corporate culture – setting new expectations for workplace collaboration. By ushering in and encouraging the use of new technology in the workplace, it will be imperative for companies to have the proper technology to meet the demands and expectations of the rising class of workers that fuels collaboration and flexibility.

Millennials are pushing the envelope on the traditional workplace structure, and their relationship with technology continues to shape what tools companies implement to foster productivity. Learn more about the future of work, and millennials’ role in shaping the digital workplace in our recent survey report, Workforce Futures: The role of people in the future of work, which you can download here.

Amanda Maksymiw

Amanda is responsible for setting and managing the Fuze content marketing strategy including creating, producing and publishing engaging content. Throughout her career, she's worked with fast-growing tech companies and VCs on developing content marketing, influencer marketing and social media strategies. Amanda received her BBA in Marketing from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.